I Wonder What it is Like to be Released in the NFL

[LSHMEAB]

5 hours ago, LABillzFan said:

While I agree that there must be a lot of stress getting cut in a highly visible field, I think I'd struggle personally with sitting at home at the end of an ass-busting work day, turning on the TV, and finding three people sitting around a table on ESPN talking about how I should be fired from my job. Driving to work, listening to sports radio, and having people from my city talk about how much I suck at my job.

 

Not sure how I'd deal with that, but I'm gonna go with "probably not well."

 

The greats don't allow that nonsense to affect them. The mental fortitude to either use negative attention as fuel or dismiss it entirely is what separates them from the pack.

 

Those that would be "devastated" probably didn't have the mental make-up to be great to begin with.

 

Life is not fair. That's a lesson everyone should learn at a young age.

 

Like politics, professional sports is not for the faint of heart.

Edited November 14, 2018 by LSHMEAB

[Formerly Allan in MD]

You feel bad.

[Augie]

5 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

 I have 3 pretty close friends that have combined for a dozen or so releases from NFL teams. Often times the writing is on the wall. They know where they stand on the depth chart. It gets tougher too as they gain a little seniority. Do you want to pay a 6th year backup LB $1.1M or a rookie 5th rounder league minimum? The middle class in the league has sort of disappeared. 

 

The most difficult part for them is knowing when enough is enough. When do you walk away all together? I would say that 2 of them (and maybe all 3) should have gotten the message a year or 2 earlier. 

 

This is just Kirby’s way of bragging that he has three pretty close friends. My wife calls you guys my “imaginary internet friends”. Maybe he’s met these guys, maybe he just has their rookie cards. We’ll never know the truth.   

 

?

[Buffalo716]

I was fired from tops markets as a young teenager.

 

i assume the same type of feeling 

[Mr. WEO]

Yeah, being told you won't be playing  kids game for money any more and have to get a real job--that's gotta suck.

[Heavy Kevi]

6 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

You ever watch Hard Knocks? Or the Amazon's All or Nothing? They show it pretty detailed. From what I've seen, they don't do a lot of cleaning out afterwards. Once you hand in your playbook and have the talk, they go right out of the building. But I imagine there is some time, before or after, to clean out a locker.

 

These players are all human, and I think it seems/feels more like any other regular firing, just like you or I would experience, when they are in the moment. And it usually goes directly to a call to their agent to see if they can find another job, just like I might call a recruiter. For most of these guys, it IS a job. And it's a lot like any of us would experience when losing a job.

 

I get your point here, but the NFL is different. There are only 53 spots on 32 teams in the entire NFL.

 

Personally, I have a seriously badass resume, and if I were looking for work I would find it QUICK. In the NFL, you may never do what you are best at ever again. That has to be truly devastating.

[Tyrod's friend]

13 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

This is just Kirby’s way of bragging that he has three pretty close friends. My wife calls you guys my “imaginary internet friends”. Maybe he’s met these guys, maybe he just has their rookie cards. We’ll never know the truth.   

 

?

“If you have two friends in your lifetime, you're lucky. If you have one good friend, you're more than lucky.” ~SE Hilton. (no offense, Kirby).

My wife has much the same feeling about the time I spend on websites like these, Augie. 

 

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, Tyrod's friend said:

“If you have two friends in your lifetime, you're lucky. If you have one good friend, you're more than lucky.” ~SE Hilton. (no offense, Kirby).

My wife has much the same feeling about the time I spend on websites like these, Augie. 

 

 

Kirby’s a great guy and he knows your kidding. 

 

 

(Not really, he will NEVER forgive you!) 

[Just Jack]

5 hours ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

I do gotta say, I feel bad when I read about a guy who found out he was cut or traded from a public source before being talked to by the team. Shady found out from ESPN I think, and never got a chance to be told by Chip Kelly.

 

Heck, didn't Andre, Bruce, and Thurman find out they were cut from watching ESPN?

[Bing Bong]

Read a book. Watch a movie. Watch hoop dreams. There's hundreds of biographies. Hell watch hard Knocks. This isn't ground breaking. It's a fascinating phenomena that happens to more pros than not. And life after sports is interesting. That's why it's so easy to access because there's so much literature and film on it!

5 hours ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

I do gotta say, I feel bad when I read about a guy who found out he was cut or traded from a public source before being talked to by the team. Shady found out from ESPN I think, and never got a chance to be told by Chip Kelly.

Charles Barkley thought he got traded to the Lakers from a public rumor and got hammered to celebrate by 1pm.. and then he had to play for Philly that night upon learning it was a hoax. 

 

So.. there's the flip side I guess? I don't know what lessons you ever can gain from Sir Charles

Edited November 14, 2018 by PetermanThrew5Picks

[WideNine]

It is the brutal nature of professional sports, and there is always a chance that an injury could show a player the exit door too.

 

Was at a football development camp 4-5 years ago (maybe 6 years...old guy memory issues) for kids in South Chicago where Lavar Arrington spoke to them about how it felt when he ruptured his achilles tendon in his last game with the Giants and knew it was over, how he remembered the smells and sounds, remembered Terrell Owens telling him he would be fine and wanting him to just shut up (real ring of truth there). His point to the kids was that there is life after football, to stay in school, learn about business and investing, etc...

 

He spoke about enjoying his career working in broadcasting, and his startup ventures - I thought he was a great speaker who left those kids with a great message. He didn't crush their hopes, but kept it real. The odds are really slim that you will get into a D1 school and play, or from there make it to the NFL, and even if you beat the odds and make it, most professional athletes do not have long careers.

 

His point was there is more to life than playing the game, that they should have a plan for life (hopefully one they can be content living) after their time playing the sport is over as it ends for every player and could happen at any time.

[Ol Dirty B]

7 hours ago, Irv said:

You've worked your whole life to get to the NFL.  You make the team and then you get released.  Do you go to your locker and get your stuff?  Do you say goodbye to the coaches and teammates or do you get escorted out by Security?  I wonder who cuts the guys.  How many guys take a swing at the guy telling he is cut or tries to wreck the place?  Then, what do you do when you get home?  It's not like you can pick up the paper to find a new job.  It's not like you just got dumped by your girlfriend and you hop on the interwebs to get a new one.  You've been an elite, successful athlete your whole life.  Then bam!  It's all gone.  The fame the money, the women.  That has got to be one hell of a bad feeling. 

 

This Peterman thing must have really taken a toll on you. 

[Irv]

8 hours ago, Ol Dirty B said:

 

This Peterman thing must have really taken a toll on you. 

 

Still hurting bad over the Da’Rick release.  It’s going to take time.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2018 by Irv

[Kirby Jackson]

9 hours ago, Augie said:

 

This is just Kirby’s way of bragging that he has three pretty close friends. My wife calls you guys my “imaginary internet friends”. Maybe he’s met these guys, maybe he just has their rookie cards. We’ll never know the truth.   

 

?

I actually have 8 friends Aug!! ?

[Rebel101]

15 hours ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

If you've still got the age, and you're decent, there's a job for you somewhere, just whether or not you're willing to take a job with that pay. Whether that's a backup, or arena, or CFL. Practice squad. Even some sort of coaching or other oppertunity at your college. So probably not.

 

I think about this with baseball players who are borderline between MLB and AAA, or whatever level. Constantly being called up and sent down.

My cousin is in the minors for the Angels and he has been sent to 4 different locations so far. He says they still take care of you and it is primarily all about baseball. 

[Augie]

54 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I actually have 8 friends Aug!! ?

 

WOW! You beat me by half a dozen! 

 

(Do dogs count? “Man’s best friend” and all....) 

[Kirby Jackson]

1 minute ago, Augie said:

 

WOW! You beat me by half a dozen! 

 

(Do dogs count? “Man’s best friend” and all....) 

I almost had 9 but one moved away. I was trying hard for double digits but I couldn’t quite push it past 8. My new year’s resolution is to add 2 friends without subtracting 1. 

[JMF2006]

15 hours ago, mrags said:

I’m sure it sucks to take their millions of dollars in signing bonuses and guaranteed money to sit at home 

 

Maybe if your a top draft pick or high value UFA that doesn't pan out.

 

But if your a mid to late draft pick or a UDFA things are not as sweet.

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I almost had 9 but one moved away. I was trying hard for double digits but I couldn’t quite push it past 8. My new year’s resolution is to add 2 friends without subtracting 1. 

 

That’s it! Aim for the stars!

 

 

I just hang out with my dog......

[Kirby Jackson]

26 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

That’s it! Aim for the stars!

 

 

I just hang out with my dog......

My dog is one of my 8.